Stephen Hillenburg

Born 21 August 1961 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA

Died 26 November 2018 (aged 57)

Stephen McDannell Hillenburg (August 21, 1961 – November 26, 2018) was an American animator, cartoonist, and marine-biology teacher. He was the creator of the Nickelodeon animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–), which he also directed, produced, and wrote. It has gone on to become the fifth longest-running American animated series.